David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :

'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)

(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.

19 January 2014

We, the Liberation Chapter of the slave-elves of bLOGOS/HA HA, are interested in the usage of personal pronouns.

We, the Liberation Chapter of the slave-elves of bLOGOS/HA HA, being non-singular and inter-dependent (singular : s-elf), are also interested in other things. For instance, Theatre of the Actors of Regard. And more besides.

And so we read with interest Christopher Allen's 'CROWDED HOUSE' in yesterday's national newspaper The Australian.Online the crowded headline is 'National Gallery of Victoria becomes a crowded house with Melbourne Now'. To read the article, if you consider it is worth subscribing and paying for,click here.

It begins with a scapesubject scene setter :

someone|s approach|s something...

"As you approach the National Gallery of Victoria building on St Kilda Road from the Princes Bridge, ...

It would seem, the author has conscripted "you" (singular/ plural) to be the first character. According to the writ, "you" approach something via somewhere and ...

"... , you are greeted by an enormous colourful panel attached to its northern wall.

This provides us (we, the Liberation Chapter of the slave-elves of bLOGOS/HA HA) with a bit more information about the "you" character. Apparently this is not a singular "you"; unless this "we" is an entirely new character?

I am he as you are he as you are meAnd we are all togetherSee how they run like pigs from a gun see how they flyI'm crying

I am the walrus - The Beatles

", and wewere informed by press releases that it was executed with paint sprayed on to the wall with fire extinguishers.

That is : something has been made with something

Next, someone|s face something...

"So, depending on yourpoint of view, we
are facing an object that is either experimental, gimmicky, playful,
derisive or merely bland, but in any case wilfully spectacular.

Are these y|our only options for true re|cognition? One choice from this given five?

"an object that is either experimental, gimmicky, playful,
derisive or merely bland,

Plus one obligatory other?

but in any case wilfully spectacular.

Then we choose : merely bland AND wilfully spectacular.

Here it is again, the opening paragraph :

"As you approach the National Gallery of Victoria building on St Kilda Road from the Princes Bridge, you are greeted by an enormous colourful panel attached to its northern wall. It is a content-free decorative abstraction, and we
were informed by press releases that it was executed with paint sprayed
on to the wall with fire extinguishers. So, depending on your point of
view, we are facing an
object that is either experimental, gimmicky, playful, derisive or
merely bland, but in any case wilfully spectacular."

We, the
Liberation Chapter of the slave-elves of bLOGOS/HA HA, being
non-singular (singular : s-elf), are specially interested in the usage of personal pronouns when they are linked with Theatre of the Actors of Regard.

What then of those singularly upright actors "1" and "I"?

Only now, after "you" and "we", arriveth the "One"..."... One can only applaud these admirable sentiments; but unfortunately the pictures bear little relation to the genres mentioned, and say nothing about the issues with which they are supposed to be concerned.

Later, it is the "one", rather than the "you" or the "we", who will transcend this realm of 'Melbourne Now' disappointments :

"To pass from this cacophony to Edward Steichen's photographs - one can leave the frocks to the ladies who lunch - is like a sudden cold shower of aesthetic clarity and integrity.... who precedeth the "I" :

"The presentation of contemporary art is also compromised by the uncritical groupthink that reigns today. The dramatic contests and oppositions that characterised the era of modernism from perhaps the 1870s and impressionism to the dissolution of high modernism into fractious splinter groups in the 1970s, have been replaced by a flaccid anything-goes attitude - laziness rather than genuine openness, since much remains excluded from the self-defining domain of the fashionable.

In this regard, anyone who missed it should look up the important piece written by my colleague Nicholas Rothwell (The Australian, December 6), discussing the critical response to the unhappy blockbuster Australia at the Royal Academy in London. I read this ... "

and shortly after...

"Significantly,
Rothwell points out some of the most serious criticism was levelled at
the Aboriginal art in the show. One objection was something I have raised on several occasions here : ..."

So, at last, the appearance of the character known as "I". But why did this player not present earlier? After all, the digitial version of The Australian refers to this article as ARTS OPINION.

Why were "you" cast in the role of the complicit dummies? Why not the character "I" ?

Author! Author!

As I approach the National Gallery of Victoria building on St Kilda Road from the Princes Bridge, I am greeted by an enormous colourful panel attached to its northern wall. It is a content-free decorative abstraction ...